FLAX FAMILY 535 



2. CATHARTOLINUM Reichenb. YELLOW FLAX. 



Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves alternate or occasionally opposite, with- 

 out stipules, but often with stipular glands, mostly narrow, entire or serrulate. 

 Sepals 5, persistent or deciduous, at least the inner ones with gland-tipped teeth. 

 Petals 5, yellow or white. Stamens 5; filaments united at the base, monadel- 

 phous, the free portion more or less dilated at the base, sometimes with short 

 staminodia in the sinuses. Gynoecium 5-carpellary, rarely 2-carpellary. Styles 

 filiform, distinct or united; stigmas terminal, capitate. Capsule ovoid or de- 

 pressed, 5-celled, rarely 2-celled, or completely or incompletely 10-celled by false 

 septa. Seeds flattened, often lunate. 



Styles distinct; capsules without cartilaginous thickenings at the bases of the sepals; 

 sepals ovate, scarcely as long as the capsule; leaves oblong or oblong-linear; flowers 

 in fastigiate cymes. 

 Outer sepals obtuse or merely acutish at maturity; capsule 3 mm. long. 



1. C. sedoides. 



Outer sepals acuminate at maturity; capsule 4 mm. long. 2. C. Kingii. 



Styles more or less united ; capsule with cartilaginous thickenings at the base of the sepals ; 

 sepals lanceolate, much exceeding the capsule; leaves linear-lanceolate to subulate. 

 Outer sepals copiously gland-toothed ; staminodia none or entire. 



Stem, branches, and pedicels densely puberulent. 3. C. puberulum. 



Stem, branches, and pedicels not densely puberulent, usually glabrous. 



Sepals not more than half longer than the capsule, the inner ones with rela- 

 tively coarse and conspicuously gland-tipped teeth. 

 Petals 5-9 mm. long. 



Outer sepals with lateral ribs faint near the base; branches blunt-angled. 



4. C. australe. 



Outer sepals with lateral ribs prominent throughout; branches wing- 

 angled. 5. C. compactum. 

 Petals 10-20 mm. long. 



False septa of the capsule slightly thickened; sepals becoming 6-8 mm. 



long; petals 11-15 mm. long. 6. C. rigidum. 



False septa thickened half their width; sepals becoming 9-11 mm. long; 

 petals 17-20 mm. long. 7. C. Berlandieri. 



Sepals twice as long as the capsule, long-acuminate, aristate, the inner ones 

 with very numerous, fine, inconspicuously gland-tipped teeth. 



8. C. aristatum. 

 Outer sepals entire or with few scattered teeth; staminodia 2-lobed. 



9. C. subteres. 



1. C. sedoides (Porter) Small. Perennial, with a woody base; stems or 

 branches mostly less than 1 dm. long; leaves very numerous, approximate, near 

 the base of the stem, more or less imbricate, erect or ascending, clavate, the 

 upper short-linear, 3-9 mm. long; outer sepals ovate, about 4 mm. long, with 

 few gland-tipped teeth; petals bright yellow; capsule ovoid, 3 mm. long. L. 

 Kingii sedoides Porter. L. Kingii pinetorum M. E. Jones. High mountains: 

 Utah. Subalp. Jl. 



2. C. Kingii (S. Wats.) Small. Perennial, with a woody base; stem and 

 branches more or less tufted, 0.5-3 dm. high; leaves numerous, spreading, thick, 

 the lower linear-spatulate, the upper linear, 1-2 cm. long; outer sepals ovate, 

 about 4 mm. long, sparingly gland-toothed, the inner ones broader, abruptly 

 short-pointed; petals bright yellow; capsule ovoid, 4 mm. long. Linum Kingii 

 S. Wats. High mountains: Utah Wyo. Submont.. Mont. Jl-Au. 



3. C. puberulum (Engelm.) Small. Pale green, often glaucous, perennial; 

 stem 0.5-3 dm. high, usually branched throughout; leaves numerous and crowded 

 at the base, erect or ascending, thick, the lower linear or linear-spatulate, entire, 

 the upper linear or subulate, often gland-toothed below the middle; sepals nar- 

 rowly lanceolate, becoming 7-9 mm. long, acuminate, the inner ones shorter than 

 the outer, and more coarsely toothed towards the apex; petals light yellow, 12-17 

 mm. long. L: rigidum puberulum Engelm. Dry plains and hills: Colo. Tex. 

 Ariz. Nev. Plain Submont. Ap-Au. 



4. C. australe (Heller) Small. Pale green perennial, glabrous or nearly so; 

 stem 1.5-5 dm. high, simple below, the branches erect or ascending; leaves 

 scattered, early deciduous, thick, serrulate; sepals lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 

 becoming 6-8 mm. long, evenly glandular-toothed, long-acuminate; inner slightly 

 broader than the outer; petals pale yellow, 6-9 mm. long. L. australe Heller. 



